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Wisconsin bird flu outbreak confirmed in backyard flock, Rusk County
Fox News • • health
Key Points:
- A highly contagious strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in a backyard poultry flock in Rusk County, Wisconsin, leading officials to euthanize all birds on the property.
- The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) reported the virus has been circulating among wild and domestic birds in North America since December 2021.
- HPAI spreads through contact with infected birds, wild birds, their droppings, or contaminated equipment and clothing, posing a significant threat to domestic poultry.
- Officials may establish a 10-kilometer surveillance zone around confirmed cases but do not impose movement restrictions on nearby poultry premises.
- DATCP advises livestock owners to take preventive measures such as hand washing, disinfecting equipment, limiting access to animals, quarantining new birds, and keeping poultry indoors when possible.
